How to Give (and Receive) Negative Feedback

Building a company culture of honor and respect takes a lot of hard work, especially when breaking through pre-existing social barriers. Aversion to confrontation in the workplace is quite common as most people would classify any level of conflict as unprofessional and contributing to a hostile work environment. While in some cases this can be true, many instances actually require some level of conflict for an open, honest and transparent workplace.

Ray Dalio the founder of Bridgewater Capital and author of Principles: Life and Work argues for “radical transparency” in the workplace. Ray has implemented and tested many revolutionary tactics for effective leadership, communication and teamwork towards this goal of a radically transparent workplace. In a radical transparent workplace, everyone is aware of each others level of performance and even grades one another’s performance.

While most companies are ways off from the radical transparency now infamous at Bridgewater, encouraging open and direct communication can be a great first step. Although it can be difficult to give someone you work with negative feedback, most people actually find negative feedback ultimately helpful for growth and learning.

Being on the receiving end of a negative performance review or unsolicited critique can be difficult to swallow. This is why negative feedback should be sought out actively and continually, especially when in a management position. Setting a good example for how to receive negative feedback will certainly relieve some of the stigma associated with the criticism process.

If you want to become a better communicator and give criticism more effectively, check out these actionable tips for giving and receiving constructive criticism from GetVoIP.

Drew Page

Drew is a content marketing specialist in San Diego. He loves learning, writing, and all things creative. When not working, you can find him in the ocean, in the kitchen or in a book.